Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
I gave her a subtle look.
If she mentioned the cave with the skylight, Victor could easily go and see how much she fabricated. He’d see all the blood. See the droplets as we carried corpses up the steps and tossed them over the cliffs.
But all my doubt in her loyalty vanished as she said, “We had to backtrack. Wading into water when the caves were filling up was petrifying.” She shivered dramatically. “We stumbled into the cave where Kyle was having his own little party and witnessed him stabbing Master H. They were fighting.”
“Please,” Victor said softly. “Do go on.”
“I’m aware of Master K’s tastes and didn’t stick around to see if he’d kill Master H. We scattered. We barely made it out before the sea poured in. But…” She swallowed hard as if resisting the urge to gag. “I-I saw what Master H saw. I’ll never forget the sight as a few bodies floated past and—”
“Mollie,” Victor snapped. “If you lie to me, I’ll allow Roland to share his ultimate fantasy with you.” He paused with a smile, knowing full well what that fantasy was and how painfully Mollie would die. “I’d like to hear your version.”
“Yes, Sir V.” With a shallow inhale, Mollie bowed. “I saw the bodies too, Sir V. Masters, not jewels. I spotted Master H wading out after us. His arm bled so much it left a ribbon of red on the water.”
Victor pinned his eyes on me. “And where was Peter in all of this?”
I swallowed hard, hoping I wouldn’t let the team down.
The fact that they covered for Henri?
That they banded around a Master and implicated him in our war effort without even knowing if he was on our side sent my entire nervous system fizzing with fear.
“Peter was unconscious.” I fought the urge to copy my friends and use Victor’s title with respect. I’d refused to do such things. If I started now…wouldn’t that look suspicious?
Instead, I braced to be reprimanded and snapped, “You burned his hands and feet then sent him off running. You knew he might not survive the day. It’s taken the three of us to keep him alive this long.”
Victor shot Henri a look. “How did you end up carrying him?”
Henri’s voice was low and bored as if this entire conversation fucked him off. “I watched the tide spit them out of the cave system. They looked half drowned, and it was well past dusk. I figured you’d be pissed if I didn’t get them home where they belong. That’s also when I shot them.” He smiled like a killer. “They were too tired to run.”
Victor grinned. “That was very considerate of you to carry Peter, mon ami. Especially seeing as you were wounded yourself.”
“It’s fine. Peter’s useful to you.” Henri sniffed. “I figured you’d miss him for whatever odd jobs he helps you with around here.”
Victor stroked his smooth chin. “You’re quite right. He’s a handy boy to have. But I need to ask…why do you even care? You’ve made it abundantly clear you’re not a fan of his.”
Henri hoisted Peter once again and looked down at the unconscious jewel with a sneer. “He pisses me off, and you’re right, I don’t like him. But…this is my home, and you are my friend. So…here we are.”
“Here we are indeed.” Victor let heavy silence fall, studying each of us with terrifyingly intelligent eyes.
My skin crawled the longer he dragged out the pause.
My breath caught on the nasty sharpness centred in one of my ribs.
I almost sighed in relief as he chuckled under his breath. “So you saved my jewels then shot my jewels. Fitting, I suppose.” He shifted a little, looking at our red paint. “My memory can be a bit fuzzy sometimes, but…didn’t you have orange bullets this morning?” He glanced at my thigh where Henri had shot me in the line-up.
Not even a streak remained, completely branded over with scarlet.
“You’re right, I did.” Henri nodded. “I had an unfortunate incident with a blowhole and broke my gun at the very beginning. I would say you’d find the useless weapon on the beach, but the tide would’ve washed it away.”
“And where did you get the replacement from?” Eyeing the weapon hanging off Mollie’s shoulder.
“Kyle.” Henri grinned. “He stabbed me, we fought, I grabbed his gun and left him to it. I figured he wasn’t using it and had already caught the jewel he wanted, so…”
“Did you see who he cut?”
“No.” Henri shook his head. “Sorry.”
“Quite understandable. It’s a high-stakes game. It’s why I don’t play along. I prefer my position as referee and live vicariously through you.”
“Well, you missed out.” Henri gave him another rancid smile. “It was fun.”
“It definitely seems so, seeing as you’ve returned with three of my jewels as your spoils. I hope you don’t think—just because you covered them in bruises and brought them home safely—that I’ll allow you to keep all three?” His eyes glinted. “Besides, I thought you were only interested in one.”